Method and apparatus for hanging ceilings

ABSTRACT

A method of easily determining the ceiling suspension height of support wires for a hanging ceiling and apparatus including a reservoir container having a marker line thereon and a wire bending level indicator with a marker line thereon interconnected by a transfer tube, whereby the ceiling elevation can be easily set and then be transferred to any support wire point within the reach of the transfer tube.

United States Patent Lehman [54] METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR HANGINGCEILINGS [72] inventor: Ervin Lehman, 558 East 1st N., Logan,

Utah 8432i [22] Filed: Nov.24, 1969 [21] Appl.No.: 879,046

[52] U.S. Cl ..33/209, 72/32 [51] Int. Cl ..G0lc 5/04 [58] Field ofSearch ..33/209; 72/32, 37

[56] A References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 909,529 1/1909 Blair..33/209 [451 Mar. 28, 1972' 1,599,347 9/i926 Purkey ..33/209 2,664,6451/1954 Qualman 3,417,586 12/1968 Hughes ..72/32 Primary ExaminerLeonardForman Assistant Examiner-Dennis A. Dearing Attorney-B. Deon CriddleABSTRACT A method of easily determining the ceiling suspension height ofsupport wires for a hanging ceiling and apparatus including a reservoircontainer having a marker line thereon and a wire bending levelindicator with a marker line thereon interconnected by a transfer tube,whereby the ceiling elevation can be easily set and then be transferredto any support wire point within the reach of the transfer tube.

1 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures Paiented March 28, 1972 INVENTOR: ERVINLEHMAN ATTORNEY.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR HANGING CEILINGS BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THEINVENTION This invention relates to methods of hanging suspendedceilings and apparatus used therefor.

In the past there have been many types of suspended ceilings proposedand many different methods have been developed for hanging them at apre-selected elevation. One of the most common type of suspended ceilinghas used wires hanging from overhead beams to support a pre-fabricatedframework that is constructed to receive and hold ceiling tiles.

In hanging such a ceiling it has been difficult to determine thenecessary lengths of the wires and to bend them such that when theframework and tiles are positioned a flat ceiling of uniform height isobtained.

It is an object of the present invention to provide amethod wherebywires for a suspended ceiling can be easily bent at a uniform elevationand to provide a preferred apparatus for practicing the method.

Principal features of the method are that an elevation point istransferred from hanging wire to hanging wire, in space, through use ofa flexible, liquid filled tube and the wires are bent to conform to theset elevation.

Principal features of the apparatus include an easily visible reservoircontainer that is adapted to be secured to a wall or to be suspendedsuch that a liquid level therein will be indicative of the elevationsought, a wire bending level reading indicator having a mark thereonindicative of a selected elevation, a gripping handle and a bending jigaligned'with the mark and arranged such that a user grasping the handleand a wire can have one hand free for bending the wire around the jig.

Other objects and features of the invention will become ap parent fromthe following detailed description and drawings.

THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the invention, with thereservoir container shown mounted on a wall that is shown fragmentarilyand with a ceiling and overhead beam from which ceiling suspension wiresare hung also shown fragmentarily; and

FIG. 2, a similar view showing a users hand supporting the wire bendinglevel reading indicator and gripping a ceiling suspension wire that isbent around the jig portion of the unit.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now to the drawing;

In the illustrated preferred embodiment, the invention includes areservoir container shown generally at 10, a wire bending level readingindicator 11 and a flexible tube 12 of any desired lengthinterconnecting the reservoir container and indicator 1 l.

The reservoir container 10 includes a rigid backing member 13 havingmeans whereby it can be securely attached to a wall or other solidsupport surface. As shown, the attachment means comprises a pair ofspaced holes 14 through which nails 15 may be driven into the wall.Obviously, however, clips, wires, not shown, or other attachment meanscould be used. An elongate transparent bottle 16, preferably made of anunbreakable material such as plastic, is secured as by clamps 17 and 18and screws 19 to the backing member and an easily observed marker line20 is provided on the backing member adjacent to the lower end of thereservoir.

Bottle 16 has a filler spout 16a at the upper end thereof and aconventional non-spill, vented cap 21 closes the filler spout.

The long, flexible tube 12 has one of its ends fixed to the bottom ofbottle 16 and its other end fixed to the bottom of a transparent tube 23that is clamped to a portion 24a of a rigid member 24 forming both ahandle and a jig of the wire bending level reading unit 11. As withbottle 16, a conventional, non-spill, vented cap 23a is provided fortube 23.

The handle portion of member 24 comprises a projection 24b extendingoutwardly from the portion of member 24 on which tube 23 is clamped andan elongate opening 24c through which a user's fingers may be inserted.While the opening 240 is large enough to allow a user's fingers to beinserted through, it is also dimensioned such that when the fingers areextended towards the transparent tube the back and upper edge of thehand will engage edges of the opening to provide support for member 24and the flexible tube connected to transparent tube 23.

A right angle intersection is formed at the bottom of projection 24bbetween the projection and portion 24a to serve as a jig 24d aroundwhich suspended wires 29 are bent .to be at a desired ceilingsupportheight.

The bottom of projection 24b thus serves as a guide line and, ifdesired, aligned markings 26 can be placed on member 24 to make theguide line more prominent.

In use, a colored and easily observed liquid is poured into bottle 16,through the filler spout l6a-and member 24 is held at a height such thatthe bottom 24d of projection 24!: and the markings 26 are aligned withthe marker line 20. When the colored liquid has completely filled theflexible tube and is standing level with the lines 20 and 26 no furtherliquid is added. Thereafter tube 23 can be raised or reservoir 16 can belowered and the liquid will flow into the reservoir for storage. Theflexible tube can be coiled and the entire assembly can be easilytransported or stored.

When it is desired to bend ceiling support wires, the height at whichthey are to be bent is first determined adjacent to a wall. Thereservoir is then hung on the wall using nails 15, such that line 20 isjust above the level at which the wires are to be bent. Straight wiresare hung from the rafters or beams at such locations as may be necessaryto support the suspended ceiling to be installed and the member 24 ismoved from wire to wire and is raised along each wire until the upperlevel of the liquid in tube 23vis even with the mark 26 and the bottomof projection 24b. At each wire the user can extend his fingers of onehand through opening24c and with his fingers clamp the suspended wire tomember 24. The user's other hand, is then free to bend the free end ofthe wire beneath the jig.

Colored water has been found to be very suitable for the liquid used,but it should be apparent that other liquids that will move freelywithin the flexible tube 22 can also be employed.

Also, after all wires within the reach of flexible tube 22 have beenbent at the desired ceiling height a mark can be placed on another wallor solid support at the bottom of the jig and reservoir 10 can then behung such that the marker line 20 will then be at the top of the bend inthe wire. The wire bending level reading indicator 11 can then be movedfrom location to location to bend additional wires in the mannerpreviously described.

While non-spill, vented caps 21 and 23a have been shown used on bottle16 and tube 23, respectively, any conventional cap can be used to holdthe liquid in the tube during storage and during use the caps can thenbe removed to allow for free movement of the liquid within the tube andto prevent formation of a vacuum in the system. The non-spill, ventablecaps are preferred however, since they do not require removal andreplacement as the apparatus is used.

While the present disclosure is of a presently preferred embodiment ofmy invention, it should be understood that the present disclosure ismade by way of example and that variations are possible withoutdeparting from the scope of the hereinafter claimed subject matter,which subject matter I regard as my invention.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for use in hanging a suspended ceiling comprising areservoir container having a marker line relative thereto; a

rigid plate member a level indicator having a marker line relativethereto;

a long flexible tube interconnecting the bottom of the container and thebottom of the level indicator;

jig means at a lower edge of said plate member providing a wire bendingsurface aligned with the marker line relative to the level indicator;

eluding an opening through a portion of said plate member above saidjig, said opening being positioned such that fingers of a user insertedtherethrough can grasp a wire to be bent around the jig means and aportion of said handle means will rest on the top and back of the handof the user.

* I l l

1. Apparatus for use in hanging a suspended ceiling comprising areservoir container having a marker line relative thereto; a rigid platemember a level indicator having a marker line relative thereto; a longflexible tube interconnecting the bottom of the container and the bottomof the level indicator; jig means at a lower edge of said plate memberproviding a wire bending surface aligned with the marker line relativeto the level indicator; an easily observed liquid filling the tube andthe reservoir and indicator to the said marker lines when the saidmarker lines are adjacent to one another; means whereby the alignment ofthe liquid and the said marker lines can be readily remotely observed;means for temporarily securing the container to a wall; and handle meanson the level indicator, said handle means including an opening through aportion of said plate member above said jig, said opening beingpositioned such that fingers of a user inserted therethrough can grasp awire to be bent around the jig means and a portion of said handle meanswill rest on the top and back of the hand of the user.